CamilaI woke up in the morning to find Ronan asleep with his head resting on the table, his laptop still open in front of him.He must have gotten up during the night to attend to some work. I didn’t want to disturb him, so I quietly slipped out of bed.My lace nightdress was torn, a casualty of last night, so I wrapped myself in a robe and carefully made my way out of the room.I showered quickly, the warm water helping to wake me up, and then dressed in a hurry. I was eager to get breakfast started.I grabbed the baby monitor to keep an ear out for Katya. She’d played so much yesterday that she was sure to be exhausted and would probably sleep in a bit longer.As I stepped into the kitchen, I was caught off guard to see Arya sitting at the table, eating pancakes and drinking hot chocolate. I looked at the sink and saw she had cleaned up after herself.I hadn’t expected to see her this early, and I fought the urge to laugh at the sight of her so casually eating in our kitchen. I quic
CamilaI turned to look at Arya, a smile playing on my lips. “For someone who hated my people—and hated me—you seem to care now. What’s the catch, Arya? What do you really want?” I asked, watching her closely.She smiled, a hint of something mischievous in her eyes.“You got me, Camil. I know I was a bitch to you. I won’t deny it. Can you blame me, though? You’re hot and gorgeous, and the way he looks at you, the way he protects you… It got to me. I’m honestly shocked he hasn’t made a move on you yet. He must have some serious self-control,” she said with a light laugh. “Anyway, I was just hoping you’d forgive my actions, and maybe we could start fresh. Be friends, even. You help me, and I help you.”I raised an eyebrow, pretending to be interested in what she had to say. “Help you, and you help me? How, exactly?”“Well,” she began, leaning forward slightly, her voice lowering conspiratorially, “I have resources that could get you to Nagria. You and your mother, if you’d like. You’d be
CamilaJust when I thought the conversation was finally over, Arya spoke up again.“Do you think he’s over me?” she asked, her voice softer, almost wistful.I rolled my eyes before turning to face her. Honestly, I didn’t need this right now. I had a home to keep and responsibilities to manage. This conversation was becoming tedious, but I knew I couldn’t afford to put her on edge.If she started getting suspicious, it could jeopardise Ronan’s mission. So, much to my displeasure, I forced myself to keep the conversation going.“I guess,” I said with a shrug. “Maybe that’s a conversation you should have with him.” I struggled to keep a straight face, fighting the urge to laugh at her delusion.“I guess so…” she murmured, still smiling as she took another sip of her hot chocolate. She seemed lost in thought, likely imagining some fantasy of rekindled romance.“You know what,” she continued, setting her cup down. “I’ll speak to my connection about the Nagria situation and let you know what
CamilaAs soon as Ronan left the house, I felt a wave of loneliness wash over me.To distract myself from the emptiness that his absence created, I decided to keep myself busy in the kitchen.I wanted to make sure dinner would be perfect when he returned.I started planning the menu for the evening, imagining how it would feel to host a dinner in his house with his fried present. But then, as I looked around at the food I had made this morning, a sharp realisation hit me—I had cooked food that no one would eat.The promotion exams were important for Ronan, and I knew how much it meant to him to excel.Still, I wished he hadn't had to leave on an empty stomach. I worried about him, my heart aching with the thought that he might be hungry while focusing on such an important task.I wanted to be there for him, to support him, to ensure he was taken care of. But all I could do was stand in the kitchen, hoping he would make it to the top, silently wishing him all the best with every beat of
CamilaKenneth seemed to be hinting that Ronan might be bringing a female guest, and I could see the twinkle of mischief in his eyes. I just laughed, shaking my head at his playful assumptions. Despite everything, his lightheartedness was a welcome distraction from the tension Arya had stirred up. We both knew tonight would be interesting, and I could only hope it went smoothly."You know me—I mind my own business. It’s not like I have much of a choice. Besides, I enjoy my job," I replied, trying to keep my tone light. Kenneth smiled warmly at me, a hint of admiration in his eyes."If only Arya were more like you," he said with a sigh. "She might have had a better life."I chuckled at that, shaking my head. "I doubt personality matters much in our world, Kenneth. In this place, you’re either free or you’re enslaved. There’s no middle ground," I said softly. My words seemed to hang heavy in the air, and for a moment, Kenneth fell silent, lost in thought. The conversation was starting t
CamilaI glanced at Madam Melania and could see the displeasure etched across her face. Her eyes were cold and accusatory, making me feel small under her sharp gaze.“What were you doing that allowed her to get sick on your watch, Camila?” she demanded, her voice dripping with disdain. “What other responsibilities do you have?”I opened my mouth to answer, but no words came out. I knew from experience that trying to explain myself to Madam Melania was pointless; she rarely listened and never cared for excuses.“You better pray she recovers quickly,” she continued, her tone threatening. “If anything happens to her, your life is forfeit. You have no other purpose in this family except to take care of that girl. And if something happens to my Katya, I will personally hand you over to the authorities. Useless,” she spat, her words like a slap across my face.She turned her attention to Katya’s room, her eyes scanning every corner with critical scrutiny. “Pack her favorite toys,” she ordere
CamilaAfter Madam Melania left, the doctor returned with Katya's medication. Thankfully, it wasn’t anything serious; just paracetamol was needed to bring down her fever. I felt a wave of relief wash over me knowing she was going to be okay.Kenneth and Oliver were both incredibly helpful throughout the day, and by five in the evening, we had finished all the work in the kitchen.Ronan had mentioned he wouldn’t be late, but I had a feeling he was buried under a mountain of work that would keep him occupied for a while.Katya’s fever went down soon after I gave her the paracetamol, and before long, she was up and about as if nothing had happened.It was a blessing to see her so lively after the scare this morning. I was immensely grateful for her quick recovery and made a silent promise to myself to be more cautious whenever I took her out to play.The thought of her getting sick again, especially after watching her lie in bed looking so small and helpless, was unbearable. The fear of l
CamilaClosing the door behind me, he moved swiftly, pressing me gently against the wall. Before I could catch my breath, his lips crashed onto mine with an intensity that took me by surprise. It was as if he had been holding back all day, and now all that pent-up desire was pouring out. I realised then that this was something I had wanted, too, all day long, I cared to admit.“You’ve been on my mind all day,” he whispered against my ear, his breath warm and intoxicating. His words sent a shiver down my spine, igniting a fire deep within me.“I thought you said Joseph…” I began, trying to remind him of our impending guest, but he silenced me with another deep, urgent kiss. His lips were insistent, and I found myself melting into him, surrendering to the electric pull between us. His kiss was like a wave, washing over me, drowning out all my doubts and fears, leaving only the two of us in this moment, lost in the heat of each other.With quick, practiced movements, he managed to unbutt